


Allie's story

by darkmoore



Series: The life of Allie Sheppard [1]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Kidfic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 16:12:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10494636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkmoore/pseuds/darkmoore
Summary: Ten years after his girlfriend vanished, John is in for a surprise.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Pic for 1000](http://picfor1000.livejournal.com/) comm over at LJ. Big thanks go to [Brumeier](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier) for beta and hand-holding and all around awesomeness. I owe you, Lady.

Allie clutches her trash bag full of hand-me-downs and stares at the bed – if you can call the mattress with the folded up blanket a bed. Her eyes sting, her throat burns and she feels utterly alone in the face of the proof that she really is unwanted. At least she has _Snuggles_ , the stuffed bunny she’s had since birth, and the small pouch around her neck that holds her _Terminator picture_. That’s what one of her former foster brothers called it. It’s a faded, time worn picture that shows her mom and the dad Allie has never met. It’s frayed and torn around the edges and where it’s been folded and unfolded countless times, but it’s one of Allie’s most prized possessions. It’s all she has left of her family. 

This place is some sort of group home. It’s supposedly just until child services find another foster family for her, but Allie has learned not to trust anything they say. She’s smart enough to know how the system works. 

With a sigh she carefully sits down on the mattress and hugs _Snuggles_ to her chest. It doesn’t make her feel any less lonely.

* * *

“I can’t believe she did that. I can’t believe she robbed me of my family, of my _daughter!_ ” John yells angrily at no one in particular. Rodney is sitting next to him in the car, for once patiently waiting him out. Not that John hasn’t yelled, raved and ranted plenty in the last thirty-six hours since he received Cam’s urgent call, that among the few gene carriers they found through one of their stands at a school job fair there was one girl in particular who lit up the whole gaggle of Ancient doohickeys like a Christmas tree. She apparently looks like a tiny, female version of John and does he know a woman by the name of Kathryn Andrews? 

A couple hours later it becomes clear that Kathryn gave birth to a baby girl roughly seven months after vanishing from John’s life seemingly without a trace. John always suspected his father had something to do with her disappearance, but he’ll never be able to prove it. Kathryn died in a car accident six years after vanishing, and her daughter ended up in the system. 

This is how John learns of his daughter. His _nine year old_ daughter who passed through more foster homes in three years than any child should ever have to. His daughter, whom he is about to meet, to take responsibility for, to claim as his. The paperwork is already done, his declaration of paternity already filed. The SGC is quick like that. He’s going to take Allie to Atlantis where she can grow up among children from different cultures and planets. John’s just not sure how he’s gonna make up for the nine years they lost. 

“She’s just right through here,” the child services worker says when they arrive, and opens the door to reveal a girl hunched in on herself on a mattress in the corner of the room. “Allie, there’s someone here to see you. I’ll be right outside if you need me.” Then she’s gone and John gets his first proper look at his daughter, who looked up when he and Rodney entered the room. 

Cam was right. She really does look like a smaller, female version of John. It’s eerie. John stares at her for a moment and Allie stares right back, a deer in headlights look on her face. Then she seems to shake herself out of her stupor. 

“John?” she asks, voice full of surprise and bewilderment. “Oh my god, you really came. Mom always said you’d come as soon as you could but when she died I didn’t think you’d find me. You’re here. You’re really here. You came for me. Oh my god, I get to have a dad.” She flings himself at him and only John’s quick reflexes prevent him from toppling over with her. She clings tightly to him and John is lost for words, unable to sort through all the emotions running through him. 

They stand there for a while just holding on to each other and John starts to run his hand through her unruly black hair. Allie is quietly crying into his chest, but seems otherwise content to be held and comforted. John couldn’t have said how long they stood there, just being with each other, Rodney waiting quietly just inside the door. 

After a while Allie tilts her head to look at him, her eyes puffy from crying but a blinding smile on her face. “So what happens now?” she asks, excitement coloring her voice. 

“Now Rodney and I will take you with us to Atlantis. Would that be okay with you?” John asks and a lot hinges on her answer. 

Allie squeals and hugs him tight for a second. “Atlantis? Really? This is gonna be so much fun. Are there spaceships? Dad, please tell me there are spaceships.” 

“Yes, Allie, there are spaceships.” John laughs and Rodney snorts.

“She’s your daughter all right. Of course she’d ask for spaceships. Why am I not surprised?” He sounds a little grumpy but John can see the insecurity in his eyes. 

“Rodney!” John admonishes gently but Allie just looks at Rodney curiously. 

“Are you my dad’s boyfriend?” she asks and sounds fine with the concept. 

“His husband, actually,” Rodney replies and blushes.

“Oh, that’s kind of cool,” Allie decides and she looks between the two of them. “You’re not gonna leave me again, right dad?” Her voice wavers slightly. 

John’s heart breaks for her. “I’m never leaving you again, I promise,” John says. 

“’K, Daddy. Can we please go now?” She picks up the stuffed animal from the mattress, but ignores the trash bag sitting next to the makeshift bed. John decides to move shopping higher up on the list. 

“Yeah, let’s get out of here.” John says. 

Time to show Allie what it means to have a family.


End file.
